Frogless railroad-switch.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

J. E. GANHAM. FROGLESS RAILROAD SWITCH.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23. 1906.

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No. 821,016. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

J. E. GANHAM.

FROGLESS RAILROAD SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23. 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witnesses holllaq UNITED STATE 8 PATENT orrron.

FROGLESS RAlLROAD-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed January 23, 1906. Serial No. 297,438.

T0 at whont it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN ELI OANHAM, agent, of the village of Sprague, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Frogless RailroadSwitches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in frogless railroad-switches; and the object of the invention is to devise a simple and positive-acting, non-complicated, cheap, and durable railroad. switch by which the use of frogs is abolished and in which the set position of the switch is clearly discernible; and it consists, essentially, of flexible slidablymovable rails continuous with the approaching main line, a switch-rail eccentrically pivoted at the end in proximity with the fixed inner rail of the receding main line and adapted to form a continuous track with the main line when aforesaid movable rails are in a closed position, reversible means for throwing the said pivoted switch-rail and said slidably-movable rails coincident to the open position, forming a continuous track with the siding, and means for constraining and supporting said rails when in their limiting po sitions, the parts being otherwise arranged and constructed as hereinafter more particularly described.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my complete invention, showing the switch set in the closed position, forming a continuous track with themain line. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the invention, showing the switch set in the open position, forming a continuous track with the siding, the casing of the switch-station being broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the switch-station, the section being through the center of the throwover lever when the lever indicates the closed position of the switch. Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the chair in which the eccentrically-pivoted switch-rail sits. Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the switch or bracing rods.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

A A are the approaching main-line rails, and B B the receding, said. receding mainline rails remaining always in a fixed position.

0 C are the siding-rails, substantially fixed, the inner of said siding-rails converging to and extending slightly beyond the inner, B, of said main-line rails.

D designates spikes or pins securing the rails in the ordinary manner to the sleepers or sole-plates D.

D is a sleeper of greater width than the or dinary one employed, and D is a plate mounted on the upper face thereof and on which the converging rails B C meet.

E is a chair or rail-support eccentrically pivoted, by means of the pin E, to the upper face of the plate D".

E is an arcuate slot concentric to the pivot, and E a pin extending into and through said slot and limiting the motion of the chair and serving a further function of holding the chair to the plate D F is a switch rail passing transversely across and fastened in proximity to one of its ends to said chair E by means of the clasps F or the like.

F is a guide-bar rigidly secured to the rails B and C and on which the switch-rail F bears and is slidably movable, being held and supported thereon by means of the clasp G. The opposing end of the rail from the chair is slidably supported on the sleeper G, formed of a portion of the switch-station base H.

G designates opposing fish or angle bars firmly secured to the sleepers D and grouped in supplemental pairs bolted together through the respective approaching main-line rails A A by means of the bolts H or the like. The outstanding end portions I I of the approaching main-line are free to slide on the sleepers D and are afforded rigidity by means of the switch-rods H suitably disposed.

L L are plates with upturned flanged ends designed to form stops for the switch-rail F to limit the lateral movement thereof.

D L are flanged plates serving a similar function for the end portions I I.

M is a switch-rod passing under and clear of the rails B and C and secured to the switchrail F.

N is a switch-rod passing under the outstanding slidable end portions I I and secured thereto.

P is a switch-station containing a switchoperating mechanism having a vertical shaft P rigidly connected at its upper extremity to a plate P revolubly mounted in the casing and supported at its lower extremity in the switch-stand H.

R is a circular disk concentrically mounted on the shaft P and free to rotate therewith.

R is a lever fastened to the plate P and designed to rotate the shaft and disk to redetermined positions. Means are provi ed for locking the lever in said positions.

T T are push-and-pull or throw-over rods, the rod T connecting the switch-bar M, and the rod T the switch-bar N, eccentrically to the circular disk R.

In its method of operation the switch is extremely simple and positive. Assuming the main line closed, all that is necessary to open to the siding is to throw the lever B, and the throw-over rods T T, respectively, draw the switch-rod N toward and shove the switchrod M away from the switch-station H and, owing to a predetermined calculation as to the limiting positions, brings the outstanding end I of the line-rail A in alinement with the outside siding-rail C and the outstanding end I of the main-line rail A in alinement with the switch-rail F, and it is in turn in alinement with the inner rail of the siding. To switch from the siding to the main line, the operation has merely to be reversed.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a device of the class described the combination with the main track and siding, of a switch-rail, a chair secured adjacent one end thereof, said chair being pivoted at one side to a sleeper and having a slot in its other side concentric to the pivot, a stationary pin projecting through said slot, a movable main track portion and means for throwing said switch-rail and main-line portions to connect the main line with the siding.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with the fixed main line, siding and sleepers, of a switch, comprising a slidably-supported switch-rail, a chair secured to said switch-rail, at or near the end adjacent the inner of the converging siding and main-line rails, a plate supporting said chair, a pivot extending through said chair and into said plate, and out of alinement with the switch-rail, a slot in the said chair and con centric with the said pivot, a pin extending through said slot and into said late, oppositely placed, supporting, ang e or fish bars, secured to the opposing main-line rails and the sleepers, a slidably-movable mainline end portion extending beyond said anglebars, switch-rods connecting and supporting said extending main-line portion, means for supporting the slidable rails when in their limited positions, and reversible means for throwing the said switch-rail and the extending main-line portion, coincident, to connect the main line with the siding, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with the fixed main line, the siding and the sleepers, of a switch, comprising a pivoted chair in proximity to the converging inner of said siding and main-line rails, a slidably-movable switch-rail eccentrically secured to the said chair, a guideway extending from the outer of said siding-rails, transversely, under said switch-rail, to the outer of said main-line rails, a clasp extending under said guideway and secured to said switch-rail, oppositely placed, supporting fish or angle bars secured to the opposing main-line rails and the sleepers, an outstanding, slidably-movable, main-line end portion, extending beyond said angle-bars, switchrods connecting and supporting said extending main-line portions, a throw-over or pull rod connected to the switch-rod, in proximity to the free ends of the extending mainline end portion, a switch-rod passing under the outer of said siding-rails and connected to the switch-rail in proximity to the free end thereof, a throw-over or push rod, connected to the said switch-rod, reversible means for throwing said throw-over rods, so that the switch-rail and the extending main-line end portion, connect the main line with the siding, and means for supporting the movable rails when in their limiting positions, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a device of the class described, the go combination with the switch-station, mainline rails, siding, of a switch, comprising an eccentrically-pivoted switch-rail, a slidablymovable main-track portion, throw-over rods connected, respectively, to the free end of the 5 switch-rail, and, to the free ends of said movable main-track portion, and a disk within the switch-stand to which said rods are connected and means for rotating the disk.

JOHN ELI CANHAM.

WVitnesses:

GERALD S. ROXBURGH, H. SORUMLEY. 

